Page 249
KimLuster on May 11, 2015
Last page of my buffer… So next page will probably be a bit late…
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I'm experiencing a weird sort of burnout… I don't want to stop working on the story, but I haven't been happy with how a page turned out in a good while… Pretty much since this chapter started…
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My desires aren't too extreme: I simply want every page to look fantastic, with perfect proportions, correct detail, vibrant color, and to only take me a couple hours to do… Is that too much to ask?!!
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I don't think I'll take a full hiatus, but I may slow down, put a page out here and there until I figure something out! Maybe… Maybe I won't…
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And in the spirit of ambigous disclosure, RL isn't fully cooperating either…
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Oh and to add insult… I have a couple teenagers (parents are friends) that read the comic and one suggest that perhaps it was a bit too mature for teens… Wow!! And I'd tried hard to keep it ‘T-rated’… I told her it was gonna get worse so maybe they should stop reading it… I went ahead and changed the rating to ‘M’ in case I accidentally show a nipple or testicle or let an F-Bomb slip… Now if I show one it'll be on purpose!
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lol I'm in a bad mood…!
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Sorry for the negative venting, folks - I really appreciate everyone for the support you've given.
A thousand thanks for reading…!!
KimLuster at 5:14AM, May 16, 2015
@ghosty: haha jgood advice - if I ever want to give up completely I'll do that, but right now I'm just going slower :D
ghostrunner at 8:56PM, May 15, 2015
trick to not giving up is to find something you really hate and threaten to do it if you stop
KimLuster at 2:20PM, May 13, 2015
@Sky: Thank You - I really, really appreciate these words!! *Sniffles and Big Hugs*
KimLuster at 2:17PM, May 13, 2015
@Strix: Hey Thank you! My plan is just to go a bit slower as I figure where I want to go with the art. I don't plan just stop completely for a while... I have the full story down - it's the art that I'm not satisfied with...! The Art...! I should be the best artist on the planet by now lol :D *joking... joking...*
skyangel at 2:13PM, May 13, 2015
Kim, you're one of the comic artists I admire most on here not only for your enthusiasm and perseverance but also for the high standard you always achieve, and your awards prove a lot of other readers feel the same way too. Not only that but you're also one of the nicest and most thoughtful people I've met on here too so it hurts to see you upset or feeling down for sure. While reading the parts about your struggles for perfection I thought that could so easily have been written by me!!! At times it feels frustratingly hard to get even the simplest of things right and I feel annoyed that after all my practise I can still draw some really lame art and sit wondering why it looks so wrong!XD You have to take breaks though. I've had breaks a couple of times now because I just felt totally numb about doing the pages and it's only by stopping and reminding myself that I'm not bound to a contract that I see the pleasure in doing it again and start to miss not doing it.
strixvanallen at 1:00PM, May 13, 2015
Your pages are coming at great speed and quality. I hope you can work around your burnout. I'm so curious to see how things will unfold! :3
KimLuster at 4:30AM, May 13, 2015
@Peipei: This is a long scene - maybe Kimber Lee will get her chance... ;)
KimLuster at 4:29AM, May 13, 2015
@Bravo: haha, that's another one of my worries - that I'm getting combat scenes wrong. 'They' say write what you know, and I know combat... but only from movies and novels!! I really have tried to read up on tactics but I always feel like something is a bit 'off' when I do one of these scenes... Oh well... *shrug* and about those teens... You know how you can sort of read between the lines with kids - I strongly think it was her parents that told her to say that... :/ Anyway... I appreciate your support and insightful comments!
bravo1102 at 3:51AM, May 13, 2015
You have been working at breakneck speed building up a buffer and putting out quality pages. So you're entitled to feeling burnt out. And when someone says your work isn't what you envisioned it can be very disappointing. But teens are notorious for being wrong about so many things and this is no more mature than many items aimed at them. Ever read YA fiction?
bravo1102 at 3:49AM, May 13, 2015
Line of fire? Come on sir, this is precision gunnery, we won't miss at this range. They train hard so when it comes time to shoot something up it is ONE SHOT, ONE KILL. Hooo-aah.
Peipei at 7:31PM, May 12, 2015
Seriously guys, just let Kimber work her magic, lay off the bullets, they are totally ineffective from the looks of it xD! They must not want to get their egos all bruised up if a woman ends up beating them to the chase!
KimLuster at 10:42AM, May 12, 2015
@Banes: Well... You should really like the next... lots of pages!!
KimLuster at 10:32AM, May 12, 2015
@tupapayon: they probably have a couple expendable personnel throwers in one of those hangers...
Banes at 10:20AM, May 12, 2015
I think now that it's happening, I know what I wanted out if this confrontation: that is would be difficult for Kim (check), and that it would be both a physical and emotional battle (check!)
tupapayon at 9:32AM, May 12, 2015
"Keep firing!" "We're out of ammo!" "Then throw your shoes, helmets, and expendable personnel"…
KimLuster at 7:51AM, May 12, 2015
@plymayer: Thank you! Rocks...! Sand...! Armadillos...! Everything!!
KimLuster at 7:50AM, May 12, 2015
@Banes: Thanks so much - reading comments like that really is uplifting...! Kimber Lee felt overpowered and overwhelmed when she was a child around Eli - the scientists say she's subconsciously recreated that reality...!!
plymayer at 7:29AM, May 12, 2015
Another exciting page. You over there pick up rocks and throw them at him!
Banes at 6:53AM, May 12, 2015
Powerful page here...I'm glad you went with almost no dialogue. It works great! The panel with Kim's face shows how overpowered and overwhelmed Kim is. This confrontation had totally delivered already!
Banes at 6:51AM, May 12, 2015
Hmm...The Godstrain does deal with some serious themes...but it never seems gratuitous or over the top. It's challenging to do work like this on your level (I can imagine so at least!). It's such a compelling story, so well executed! I hope your spirits lift again; we'll be here for more Godstrain whenever you can do more! We're a ravenous beast, we GS readers are!